Residents And Educators Give Uhlhorn High Grades

Residents involved in the superintendent selection process and active educators were asked to ``grade`` Schools Superintendent Monica Uhlhorn in her first semester on the job. Here is what they said:

-- A+ from Ed Gonzalez, board member of the Hispanic-American Chamber of Commerce: ``She`s been accessible to the community.``

-- I (incomplete) from Bill Miller, Project Mosaic steering committee chairman: ``I wouldn`t give her an unqualified hurrah so far. I think she`s going to come out with high grades.``

-- A or B+ from Norm Bleshman, a retiree who is active with the school district: ``I`d only downgrade her because of time. Maybe the A should be there because of her effort.``

-- A+ from Jody Gleason of the county council of PTAs: ``I think the parents in the community feel that there`s going to be positive changes made. Morale is up.``

-- B+ from Bruce Mitchell, principal at H.L. Watkins Middle School and president of the county principals` association: ``To be able to handle that task in these first 100 days would be a mammoth task, getting established, getting to know the board you`re working with and the school centers and the problems facing them.``

-- A from Mavis Allred, S.D. Spady Elementary principal and elementary school division chairman: ``I feel that she is listening to us and I think she`s very child- and school-oriented. ... She wants to learn more about the people, which positions are essential and which could be cut, taking the time to really look at things before making a decision.``

-- B from Harry Benson, retired director of secondary education: ``I`m not sure I`d give anyone an A; because of the things she`s had to do and some of the distractions she`s had; because of the lack of time she`s had to meet with the central staff since her focus has been on the schools.``

-- A+ from Chris Murray, president of the assistant principals` association: ``She`s dealt with some very difficult problems. She has done her homework and she has listened to a lot of people.``

-- How would Monica Uhlhorn grade herself?

``If I equate the amount of work I`ve put in with what I`ve accomplished -- a B plus.``